Price of U.S. Postal Stamp to Increase Jan. 27

[1]Starting Sunday, the price of a first-class stamp in the U.S. goes up a penny.

That will make the rate for sending a letter 46 cents, reports The Consumerist[2]. Postcard stamps will also rise a penny, to 33 cents. The rate hike was approved by Congress last year.

International mail will also increase. A letter sent overseas will now set writers back $1.10. That’s an increase of 25 cents for letters sent to Canada and Mexico, and 5 cents for other overseas destinations.

The price hike is part of the U.S. Postal Service’s ongoing efforts to fund itself. Each rate hike requires an act of Congress, which has been accompanied by congressional requirements that it fully fund an $11 billion pension fund. This has strapped the postal system and led to rate hikes.

For those buying today or tomorrow should opt for Forever Stamps. Purchasing those now will get customers the 45-cent rate, even if they use the stamps in the future.